Keep going or jump ahead?

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  • #100382
    Natalie C.
    @nanisnook
      • Rank: Loyal Sidekick
      • Total Posts: 154

      This is very random, but when y’all are writing and you get stuck at a scene, do you make yourself keep working on it so you stay in order? Or do you sort of jump to the next scene that interests you so you can keep up your momentum?

      Adding some peoples… (also this might go through twice…)

      @joy-caroline @devastate-lasting @nova21 @ribbonash @gracie-j @lydia-s @scripter-of-kingdoms @issawriter7 @daisy-torres @sparksaraabbott11 @abigail-m @mkfairygirl  @elfwing @writerlexi1216 @kathleenramm @morgan @relia @anyone @everyone @dont-respond-if-you-dont-want-to @i-dont-mind-XD

      Be still and know that I am God. Psalm 46:10

      #100383
      Issabelle Perry
      @issawriter7
        • Rank: Knight in Shining Armor
        • Total Posts: 976

        @nanisnook

        Well, most of the time I just push right through it, but if a scene’s coming up and I don’t know what’s gonna happen AND I just don’t feel like writing it, I’ll just put: something really cool happens and move on. I’ve only ever done that once, tho, so it’s no a super common thing for me. 😉

        God gives His hardest battles to His strongest soldiers.
        TeenWritersNook.com

        #100384
        Elfwing
        @elfwing
          • Rank: Knight in Shining Armor
          • Total Posts: 486

          @nanisnook

          ahh that. Yeah I get that often lol

          I either

          1: walk away for half an hour and come back,

          2: listen to music that helps get me in the mood

          or 3: skip it and continue the plot and then go back because sometimes filling what happens after really helps

          I'm 'a homeschooler' because cookie-making writing artistic animal-whisperer isn't a job title

          #100385
          Alexa Autorski
          @writerlexi1216
            • Rank: Eccentric Mentor
            • Total Posts: 1011

            @nanisnook

            For me? I always put the scene in the parenthesis (perhaps tell what happens in a couple of sentences) and then just move on. If you’re feeling the urge to write the next scene, then totally go for it! I’ve found that writing the scenes I’m in the mood for helps me #1 stay motivated and not get bored with my story, and #2 write more quickly. And then, when you’re feeling like writing that scene you were stuck on previously, you can always go back and write it! Hopefully this helps, and good luck with your writing! 😀 This is a struggle that I go through a lot, so you’re definitely not alone!

            #100386
            Anonymous
              • Rank: Eccentric Mentor
              • Total Posts: 1379

              @nanisnook

              I usually just make myself keep going so I can stay in order. I’ve tried the jumping ahead thing before, and it just doesn’t work for me. It’s kind of confusing and I keep thinking guiltily about that other scene and how I should really be writing it. XD

              #100394
              Ribbonash
              @ribbonash
                • Rank: Wise Jester
                • Total Posts: 97

                @nanisnook

                I just push through it because I find it really difficult to write out of order. It’s too confusing and messy for my brain to handle, but everyone works differently, so if that is not your thing, don’t keep trying to push though when you can write out of order. 🙂

                #100396
                Linyang Zhang
                @devastate-lasting
                  • Rank: Eccentric Mentor
                  • Total Posts: 1700

                  @nanisnook I usually end up procrastinating for a week and regretting it, but yeah I usually push on through instead of skipping around.

                  Lately, it's been on my brain
                  Would you mind letting me know
                  If hours don't turn into days

                  #100399
                  relia
                  @relia
                    • Rank: Charismatic Rebel
                    • Total Posts: 47

                    @nanisnook

                    I definitely feel an overwhelming urge to skip it, but I just keep pushing (often adding some dialogue to make it more fun for me), because I know it’ll only confuse me in the long run if random scenes in the middle are mysteriously missing.

                    This is totally different from editing a scene while I’m writing – in that case I have an extremely haphazard system where I edit the stupidest chapters first so I feel better about the whole thing ;P

                    This is really annoying I keep having to edit these posts because I forget to do the @ thing to people -_- 

                    • This reply was modified 3 years, 6 months ago by relia.

                    I can't think of anything witty at the moment.

                    #100401
                    SeekJustice
                    @seekjustice
                      • Rank: Chosen One
                      • Total Posts: 3365

                      @nanisnook

                      I usually force myself to keep going through the scene. Usually all it needs is a few hundred more words and then I’m writing freely again. Having said that, in one of my last WIPs I got really stuck at a large portion and completely skipped four or five chapters and just kept going. It depends on what works for you really. 😀


                      @elfwing
                      Unrelated, but I read your signature and was immediately transported back to my childhood, I could almost audibly hear Matt Damon’s voice 😛

                      INFP Queen of the Kingdom commander of an army of origami cranes and a sabre from Babylon.

                      #100403
                      Morgan
                      @morgan
                        • Rank: Wise Jester
                        • Total Posts: 51

                        @nanisnook

                        When I get stuck writing a scene I

                        1) Read or edit a previous section of my book until I get excited and feel like writing again.

                        2) Leave and do something else. My best ideas generally come to me when I am doing something totally unrelated to writing.

                        3) Just keep writing. The only problem with this is that if you are truly stuck, your writing will be visibly forced and likely boring. I also don’t have time to waste not writing if I’m supposed to be writing. For these reasons, I usually do 1 or 2 first and use 3 as an absolute last resort.

                        I usually don’t skip to other scenes because, first, my scenes are generally closely knit together and it is hard to build upon a scene that hasn’t been written yet. 😛 Second, if I do skip, my brain is still processing the other scene and I can’t fully concentrate on the scene I’m writing which results in, well, a horrible scene.

                        That is totally me though. Do whatever works best for you. 🙂

                        Some people fail; others learn what not to try.

                        #100426
                        Elfwing
                        @elfwing
                          • Rank: Knight in Shining Armor
                          • Total Posts: 486

                          @seekjustice

                          Haha cool

                          yes one of my favourite movies, it’s up at the top even over LoTR lol

                          I'm 'a homeschooler' because cookie-making writing artistic animal-whisperer isn't a job title

                          #100450
                          Anonymous
                            • Rank: Eccentric Mentor
                            • Total Posts: 1789

                            @nanisnook Good question…

                            Me personally, since I try to keep things completely consistent, I go scene by scene and won’t jump forward if I get stuck on one in particular (although that has happened to me many, many times). What I will do is (1) rush up to finish the scene with the intention of editing it later or (2) work on another story until the inspiration returns.

                            #100455
                            Madelyn
                            @madelyn
                              • Rank: Loyal Sidekick
                              • Total Posts: 115

                              Hi there!! @nanisnook

                              When I’m stuck on a scene, I’ll usually brainstorm out the problem. If something feels off or I’m really not getting into the scene, it really helps to dig down to the root of the issue before continuing. If I try to write through something like that, the problem will often show through my writing.

                              Jumping ahead can be the thing to clear my head and get a fresh view, but it’s a bit of a tricky tactic. The trouble with putting off a problem is it often grows in my mind and becomes harder to come back to. So, if I’m going to jump ahead, I try not to stay away from the issue too long. Also, as a side note, if you want to take some writing time away from a problem scene, it doesn’t even have to be the same story. You can always work on another project for a little bit if you need to restore your motivation.

                               


                              @seekjustice
                              @elfwing

                              YES, I had the same thought when I read Elfwing’s signature XD Although it took me a moment to place the quote ;P

                              ~In Christ Alone My Hope Is Found~

                              #100456
                              Daisy Torres
                              @daisy-torres
                                • Rank: Knight in Shining Armor
                                • Total Posts: 691

                                @nanisnook Good question! (Thanks for the tag! <3) Honestly, I probably need to do the whole “jump ahead” thing because I’ve been stuck on a scene for a month and haven’t written a word :))))) Sadly, I don’t, so I just procrastinate actually being productive and figuring out what I’m going to do lolll

                                "It's easy to be caught up in stardust and whispers when reality is so dark and loud."

                                #100477
                                Natalie C.
                                @nanisnook
                                  • Rank: Loyal Sidekick
                                  • Total Posts: 154

                                  Thank you all so much for the advice!! I am now halfway through the aggravating scene, so I’m glad I stuck with it. Thanks again!

                                  Be still and know that I am God. Psalm 46:10

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